


Not Just A Shirt

by mikaylamazing



Category: Andi Mack (TV)
Genre: 3x15, Fix-It, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-23
Updated: 2019-06-23
Packaged: 2020-05-18 10:30:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,342
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19332742
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mikaylamazing/pseuds/mikaylamazing
Summary: A short fix-it fic where Cyrus goes to the park and TJ is there alone instead of with Kira.





	Not Just A Shirt

**Author's Note:**

> idk if this is really fix-it?? idk how anything works, i basically rewrote the scene entirely because the real one hurt me too much. enjoy! (also point out any errors to me bc i literally didn't proofread at all)

            Cyrus is just trying to stop his hands from leaking sweat into the shirt. There’s no reason for him to be this nervous. No reason at all. And yet he finds himself wiping his palms down on his pantlegs multiple times before he’s even in the vicinity of the park.

            “It’s just a shirt. _It’s just a shirt_ ,” he says out loud to himself, hoping it’ll calm him down somewhat, but it only serves to make him think about it even more than he already had been. He didn’t even think that was possible.

 It’s not bad or wrong, what Cyrus is doing. It’s the opposite of both of those things. Cyrus and his friends were doing something good and beneficial to the community; it would be wrong not to include TJ, his friend. He stops walking for a moment. TJ has no reason to suspect a thing. There’s nothing to suspect, and Cyrus isn’t suspicious. He can feel a bead of sweat roll down his forehead and wipes it away frantically. He’s _not_ suspicious.

But then he thinks about the way he gazes absently into TJ’s eyes every time they’re around each other, and Cyrus can’t lie to himself. Maybe he’s a little suspicious, but it’s not like TJ had noticed anything, thankfully. They’re very distracting eyes, it’s not Cyrus’s fault, but he’s worried TJ will start to catch on. It feels like a ticking time bomb of gay and he’s not sure he wants to be there for the explosion. TJ isn’t stupid; they both know that now. But he has to know Cyrus is gay. That much is obvious, right? Straight boys don’t talk to other boys with soft voices or smile at every word that passes their lips or stare into their eyes.

His eyes are what got Cyrus into this mess in the first place. He’d spent so much time looking at them – before Kira drove a big, hetero wedge between them – that when he saw the shirt hanging there, he _knew_ he needed to get it for TJ. Then Buffy read his mind and confirmed what he already knew, so what was Cyrus supposed to do at that point? Not take the shirt and just wallow in his self-pity as he and TJ inevitably grew further and further apart? Absolutely not. So maybe both options in this scenario are terrifying, but Cyrus is willing to take a risk. He wouldn’t have been able to stop himself. All he could think about is how much more fun the market would be if TJ were there, and how it had been more than a few days since they’d last talked beyond a “hey” in the school hallway. If he’s being honest, he’d use almost any excuse just to have a conversation with TJ again.

When the park finally comes into view, Cyrus can see TJ alone at the basketball court and a flood of relief washes over him. He never thought he’d be in a situation where getting TJ alone proves to be a difficult task. He’ll never take his time for granted ever again.

TJ spots him, jogging over to meet him instead of just waiting, and the action makes Cyrus’s heart skip a beat. He needs to chill, but that’s proving to be nearly impossible as TJ gets closer, beautiful and ever so slightly sweaty. He just barely manages to suppress a noise he knows would’ve been high-pitched and awkward as TJ stops in front of him with a smile.

“Hey,” TJ says smoothly. Of course he does. There’s nothing weird as far as he’s concerned, that’s all Cyrus.

“Hey,” Cyrus responds, notably less smooth, and also one second away from choking on his own saliva. When he recovers, TJ’s eyes are wide with concern.

“Are you-?”

“Yeah, I’m fine, no worries.” He’s still clearing his throat. TJ looks skeptical but must think nothing of it because he barrels right into the conversation.

“Wasn’t expecting you to show up. Thought I’d just see you tomorrow at school.” TJ wipes at his forehead and Cyrus desperately wishes he could go back to a time before his heart started doing that weird stutter thing. TJ is still talking, and Cyrus can’t even understand anything he’s saying because all he can hear is his own pulse pounding in his ears.

“Sorry, what?” is all he can think to ask. He can feel the beginnings of a blush flaring up on his cheeks. He needs to keep it together. TJ just laughs.

“I said that must be the shirt,” he says, motioning to the lump of cloth in Cyrus’s hand, still absorbing his sweat. He quickly moves it into his other, less sweaty, hand, when he realizes he should just hand it to TJ. He extends his arm suddenly and forcefully. TJ blinks in surprise. Cyrus still hasn’t said anything.

“Uh, yeah! This is for you. Which you already knew because I sent you a picture asking if you wanted it. I wouldn’t just do that and then not give it to you. That would be weird,” Cyrus rambles, taking in a gulp of air at the end of it. TJ is still smiling, so it can’t be as bad as Cyrus thinks it is.

“Cool. Where’d you guys even get all the clothes?”

“It’s kind of a long story.”

“I’m sure I’ll hear it eventually. It’s a nice shirt,” TJ says, finally taking it from Cyrus’s hand and looking at it.

“It’ll look nice with your eyes.” He isn’t thinking when he says it. Cyrus is 99% certain his brain has been ejected from his head and now there’s just an empty cavity where it used to be.

“You think so?” TJ’s voice is unreadable, or Cyrus just can’t figure it out due to his complete lack of brain function, either way, Cyrus isn’t sure what’s going on.

“That’s what Buffy said! When we were looking at the shirt.”

“Really? Buffy?” Cyrus can understand the healthy skepticism; Cyrus wouldn’t have believed it himself if he wasn’t literally there. It sounds like thinly veiled cover up (which it is) but it’s the truth. Buffy did say that.

“I swear. I just agreed.” TJ raises an eyebrow at that, and Cyrus decides he needs to put more work into learning how to shut up.

“Pretty sure my entire face is red,” he says when TJ doesn’t respond and _god, when will I shut up, literally just stop talking. It’s not that hard._

“It’s okay, you look adorable.” Cyrus is pretty sure he’s short-circuiting. He doesn’t know what to do or how to respond, but he doesn’t think it’s fair that TJ is still so calm and collected while he’s literally about to melt into the ground. But then TJ coughs and scratches the back of his neck, and Cyrus knows he’s just as nervous as he is. Cyrus still isn’t sure about exactly what’s happening, but they’re both smiling, so he figures whatever it is, it can’t be terrible.

“Do you wanna come back to the market with me?” Cyrus asks, his voice breaking on more than one of the syllables. TJ looks conflicted for a moment.

“I should probably go home, actually. My mom doesn’t even know I’m out here right now. But we can hang out after school tomorrow?”

“I thought you were doing something with Kira tomorrow.” Cyrus can’t help the sadness and the tinge of irritation in his tone. TJ looks conflicted again, but then his smile is back as he looks at the ground.

“I’ll tell her something came up. You have a long story to tell me, after all.” Cyrus’s smile returns.

“You’re right. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“See you tomorrow.”

They both lean in and tangle their arms and link their fingers in some kind of awkward hug/handshake hybrid, laughing at themselves before saying bye.

As Cyrus walks away to return to his friends, he turns and looks back for just a moment, elated when he sees TJ is looking at him too.


End file.
